Chapter 26: Troubled Mind, The Curtain Rises!
As Hidan closed the door with a creaking sound, the room returned to silence. Uchiha Jin looked at the scroll in his hand, his heart sinking.
He was supposed to have died inside the volcano, yet here he was, lying alive. In his hand was an S-class forbidden technique scroll. He didn't see this as a stroke of luck.
Being able to breathe fresh air, seeing sunlight through the broken wall, feeling the scorching warmth on his skin inch by inch, this was all because Elder Uchiha Shana chose to burn himself in the end, paving a way out for him.
However,
"Damn it! damn it!!" Uchiha Jin clenched the bedsheet, There was no sign of joy at being saved. Instead, he was filled with fear!
He lowered his head, his scarlet eyes wide open, lips, teeth, and even his facial skin trembling. The tomoe in his pupils spun wildly, and his heart pounded in his chest like a drum. On the scales in his mind, boulders named 'Uchiha Shana' began to weigh him down, making it hard for him to breathe.
Uchiha Jin had a very clear understanding of himself. He knew he was just an ordinary person who laughed when happy, cried when sad, got dejected when he failed, and became angry when humiliated. He had the emotions of a normal person. If someone truly treated him as Karin did for Sasuke, would he be able to stab them like the vengeful Sasuke did? Or would he, like the dutiful Itachi, cut them down without regard for kinship?
That wouldn't be solving the problem; it would be an unhealthy way of venting anger. Therefore, he always tried to avoid contact with the people from the original story of this world.
But now...
At this moment, a piece of paper that was sandwiched in the unfolded scroll fell into Uchiha Jin's hand.
The line on the paper made him freeze instantly.
"Just deliver it, I'll figure out the method. Also, I'm not dead."
Jin blinked and scratched his head, letting out a sigh of relief. Then, his face twisted as he closed the scroll and muttered:
"Damn it, old man. If you weren't dead, you should have said so earlier. Hiding it so well."
"Made me overthink things. Get lost!"
Jin quickly raised his hand, waving it in the air as if shooing away something dirty.
Elder Shana, as the oldest Jonin from the Uchiha Clan surviving from the Warring States period, definitely knew Izanagi, the Jutsu that forcibly rewrites any unfavorable situation to fake one's death.
Uchiha Jin was worried and forgot about this for a moment. Just then, the door creaked open.
Hidan, bringing in the doctor, happened to see Uchiha Jin waving his hand wildly in the air.
It looked quite like he was mimicking sword moves with his hand, swish swish swish, practicing some technique. Hidan couldn't help but chuckle:
"Hey, I didn't expect you to be so energetic."
"Nice, keep it up!"
"I may not have gone through this phase myself, but I've read about it in books."
"Don't be shy, I understand, I understand."
Uchiha Jin's expression remained blank, thinking to himself that Hidan had never moved past that phase. Calling him Uncle all the time, this birdbrain clearly had never grown out of it!
Facing their gaze, Uchiha Jin turned his face slightly in embarrassment and coughed:
"There was a fly just now."
At this moment, the tall doctor behind Hidan slightly raised his eyes and said:
"That's impossible. I've spread insect repellent around."
[Shinno shows contempt towards you.]
Uchiha Jin's face flushed instantly, but after his eyes swept across the subtitles that appeared in front of him, he couldn't help but freeze.
"Oh, let me introduce you, this is Dr. Shinno, a traveling doctor of the ninja world," Hidan stepping aside and pointed with his thumb towards the tall doctor.
"Thanks to him, otherwise you would have died from excessive bleeding."
Uchiha Jin looked up, and a hint of surprise flickered in his eyes.
The tall doctor referred to as Dr. Shinno by Hidan wore a brown hooded cap that revealed light gray hair, He was wearing a faded yellow coat. This outfit, and his name, wasn't he the leader of Sky Ninja Village, Shinno?!
The great leader who roamed the ninja world, why was he in the Land of Hot Water at this time? And why was he with Hidan?
Shinno glanced at Uchiha Jin. After a moment, he said calmly:
"I've treated all your wounds. Make sure to drink plenty of hot water. That's all."
After giving these instructions, Shinno shook his head, seeming uninterested in Uchiha Jin, and turned to leave.
Uchiha Jin watched him leave without stopping him.
There was no intersection or conflict between the two, and it didn't align with his goal of dying for a greater cause. So, just as Shinno had no interest in him as an Uchiha, even though Jin knew this was a powerful man who could open the Eight Inner Gates and survive, capable of easily turning him into a meat patty, he had no interest in provoking him.
There's a difference between intentional suicide and insurance fraud, especially when the other party hasn't shown any actual malice. That's why Jin would set his goal on the battlefield, the two sides have opposing identities and goals, and they are naturally divided into two distinct camps. Life or death becomes a matter of course.
"Dr. Shinno is a noble doctor; he doesn't charge for his services," as he said that, Hidan watching Shinno leave with great respect in his eyes, He then turned to Jin pulling out an apple and tossing it to him.
Uchiha Jin didn't respond, just looked at Hidan with a slightly deeper gaze and clicked his tongue.
Noble? That's not necessarily the case.
Uchiha Jin pondered for a moment. The only reason he could think of for Shinno being with Hidan was to learn the secret jutsu of the Jashin Cult. After all, Shinno's forbidden technique allowed him to open all Eight Inner Gates without dying. This might have some connection with the Jashin Cult's "immortality."
At this moment, Hidan sat down cross-legged and said boldly:
"I saved your life Jin, not so you could just lie here."
"Since Dr. Shinno said you're fine, come with me and help me with something."
Jin tilted his head, unable to hide his surprise at Hidan's naivety:
"How can you say such a thing with such confidence?"
"And why should I help you?"
"You should be grateful I haven't stabbed you yet, and you actually want a wandering ninja to do something for you?"
Hidan didn't care at all and chuckled:
"I read about this in a book, it's called returning a favor."
"You're a good person, so you'll definitely help me!"
Jin rolled his eyes, feeling slightly speechless. Alright, he took back his opinion that this 'smart' Hidan had any brain. Shaking his head, Uchiha Jin smirked and said calmly:
"Go ahead and tell me—"
"And just so you know, I won't do anything that involves life-threatening danger."
Hidan's eyes sharpened as he put away his smile and asked seriously:
"Do you know about the Jashin Cult?"
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